A reflective Moore, a Republican who was seeking a third term as Henrietta town supervisor, said he didn't anticipate losing to Democrat Stephen Schultz on Nov. 7, but is already transitioning back to a more private life.

"There’s sadness in the fact I won’t get to do it any longer, but there's also happiness in the fact that I really think I'm handing this off to a pretty good guy," Moore said.

Schultz, the co-founder of Pictometry International and a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate, defeated Moore by an unofficial count of 6,072 to 4,147.

Moore who took office in 2014, has been accused of making racist and sexist comments to employees, who complained to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC decided Moore likely did make the comments.

In addition, he is facing a second-degree harassment charge for allegedly repeatedly honking his truck horn in front of the home of a former town employee who was one of those who complained to the EEOC. Under the law, second-degree harassment is not a crime but a violation — similar to a parking ticket.

Moore acknowledges that these issues may have led to his defeat.

"I'm sure it had a lot to do with the EEOC charges, there’s no doubt about that," Moore said. "That’s a perception that I wasn’t able to defend myself at all. That being said, there was a groundswell of Democrat voters that hadn’t showed up to local elections prior.”

Enrolled Democrats outnumber Republicans about 9,000 to 7,000 in Henrietta.

Moore said he wasn't often around the employees who complained to the EEOC. He also said that he and Town Board members were advised by town attorney Patrick Naylon "to refrain from any further comment with respect to this matter."

Multiple complaints

In 2016, Moore was sued by Scott Mangino, one of the former town employees involved in the EEOC cases. That lawsuit is now awaiting federal mediation, records show. If the mediation is unsuccessful, the lawsuit will continue in court.

The process is a "slow train of justice, but when it rolls in it’s justice," Mangino said.

Mangino is waiting for other EEOC right-to-sue letters, after filing multiple complaints in the past few years.

"This whole ordeal has cost me more than six figures," Mangino said. He said the cases are not politically motivated and the EEOC findings "fall when they fall."

Another town employee, Marlene Youngman, accused Moore of saying 'this desk is heavier than 10 dead n----' while helping move a desk. The EEOC determined Moore likely did make the comment.

Moore said he could not have made the remark because neither he nor Youngman were present when the desk was moved.

Moore also expressed frustration with the process. At an EEOC hearing “when I asked would you like to hear the town's side, (an EEOC official) said 'no,'" and that wasn't fair, Moore recounted. "That will all come out eventually."

Moore maintains he is not racist, sexist or homophobic, and said the community should look at his 40 years of ownership at Gro-Moore Farms and his community-centered work.

"That's not done just for white people," Moore said.

He also said that his character, “doesn’t seem to compare to what three employees in the public sector have said about me.”

During the campaign, Stephen Schultz was critical of Moore's alleged behavior. The two met the day after the election and Moore said he offered his support to Schultz while asking him to consider keeping on members of the current staff.

Schultz has to make decisions on two-year contracts for employees before he takes office and said he finds that strange, but his objective is not to "clean house."

Schultz said since the election he has been at Town Hall almost every day getting up to speed. "Opinions aside, we were both trying to do what's best for the town," Schultz said.

New library still on track

Moore looked back on what he did for the town.

One of Moore's last efforts involved a ballot referendum to borrow $10 million to create a new public library. This is the second leg of his plan to increase the quality of life in Henrietta. The first leg, included building the recreation center.

“To me it was very important that I move the library project forward," Moore said. "The voters approved it overwhelmingly. It’s a good plan for the community."

Schultz is in agreement with moving the library project forward and has been researching cost-saving measures.

Moore listed earning the support of the town's union employees, creating a dog park, soccer fields, and returning $1 million to taxpayers as his top accomplishments while in office.

He said he doesn't know what is next for him, but the past four years have been the "most fun ever" even though he "never expected the abuse" that he said he and his family have occasionally been subjected to.

He said that one of his faults may have been wanting "too much change too quickly" and that "the truth will always come out in the end."

He also said he has no plans for returning to government in the future.

"I think the public office part of my life is closed," Moore said. "The voters have spoken. ... When one door closes another one opens."